• Aerial View of the Star Fort by William A. Bake

    Ninety Six

    National Historic Site South Carolina

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  • NEW OPERATING HOURS AND CLOSURES

    Effective 3.10.13 UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: Visitor Center & parking is CLOSED Wednesdays & Thursdays. Fridays - Tuesdays, the park will be open 10 AM - 4 PM. Star Fort Pond is CLOSED 9 AM Sundays – 9 AM Tuesdays.

General Andrew Pickens

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Brigadier General Andrew Pickens with SC Militia

Robert Wilson oil painting, 1977

Militia Leader

Born: September 13, 1739 Paxtang Twp (now in Dauphin County) PA

Died: August 11 or 17, 1817 SC

Buried: Pendleton, SC at the Old Stone Church

Nicknames: “The Fighting Elder” because of deep Presbyterian faith

● “The Border Wizard Owl” (SkyAgunsta) Cherokee Indians called him.

At Ninety Six:

1st Battle- (November 19-22, 1775):

● 36 years old

● Militia Captain

● Fought & attended Peace meeting

2nd Battle (May 22- June 19, 1781):

● 41 years old

● Before Battle: Pickens’ men captured Britishcourier in route to Cruger at Ninety Six. Letters told Cruger to abandon Ninety Six and retreat to the coast. Instead Cruger thought he was supposed to hold at all costs.

● June 8: Arrived from a battle at Augusta, GA.

● June 8-10: Directed soldiers to dig a zigzag trench 250 yards West of the Stockade. Raised an earthen battery & mounted a cannon.

● June 11: Greene sent him to aid Thomas Sumter against the British relief column.

Brother, Joseph Pickens, was killed during the 1781 siege. Pickens’ blue coat identifies him as a Patriot during the Revolution.

Did You Know?

Swivel gun

Ninety Six got its name around 1730 because it was believed to be 96 miles from here to Keowee, which was a Lower Cherokee town, around Clemson, SC today. You can view the remnants of the Cherokee Path & many other historic roads at Ninety Six National Historic Site.